Trends at West 2023; DoD cyber workforce & Navy's NCDOC Commander

From West 2023 in San Diego, CA, sponsored by Carahsoft and Forescout Government Systems.

The Navy’s Cyber Defense Operations Command is demonstrating capabilities that other services, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, say they want. The Navy’s Chief Information Officer, Aaron Weis, says NCDOC has shown those capabilities off to leaders at the military’s highest levels. You can hear more about that from Aaron Weis on Thursday's edition of Fed Gov Today. At West 2023, Capt. Christina Hicks, the Commander of NCDOC, tells me about her command’s mission.

The Defense Information Systems Agency used the West 2023 conference to spread the news about its involvement in the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract. Several DISA leaders talked to attendees about the contract. Mike Walsh is President of Forescout Government Systems. At West 2023, Mike tells me he heard two huge trends on the floor of the conference, and offers his take on the DISA discussion on cloud.

A new cyber workforce strategy is coming from the office of DoD Chief Information Officer John Sherman. That strategy will include updates the department released last week to its “Cyberspace Workforce Qualification & Management Program.” Mark Gorak is Principal Director for Resources & Analysis in the Office of the Chief Information Officer at DoD. At West 2023, he tells me he had two main messages for the conference. One is that workforce strategy is VERY close to ready for prime time.